Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman talked on Tuesday about the Coyotes' search for a new arena and the ongoing situation regarding Salt Lake City.
The Arizona Coyotes’ arena situation currently still remains unresolved and is a real mystery to everyone.
It was reported over the past few months that Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo executed a letter of intent to purchase a parcel of land in northwest Mesa and that the Coyotes are zeroing in on a parcel of land in northeast Phoenix, adjacent to Scottsdale.
This whole developing story took an interesting turn when last week it was reported that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith formally asked the NHL to initiate the expansion process and bring a team to Salt Lake City.
What caught the attention of many in Arizona is that Smith made clear the city would be ready to host a team starting next season if need be.
While there is no direct evidence to link this Salt Lake City news to the Coyotes, it’s still something that has been speculated which Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman touched on while talking with PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan and Steve Peters.
“I do know when it comes to the Coyotes, deadlines do move here and there, but I was told that Bettman or Daly have made it clear that they had to know by the All-Star break…” Friedman said. “There is definitely a feeling around the league at the governor level that they want an answer like now they want to know and I just don't think that Utah thing was a coincidence. I really don't.”
Morgan said last week that an All-Star break deadline ‘does not jibe with anything I have heard thus far’ so the true specific time for when the NHL needs an answer from the Coyotes seems to still be unclear.
Friedman did add though that despite everything that has gone on with the Coyotes regarding their arena search, Gary Bettman still very much believes in hockey thriving in the Valley.
“Bettman has fought for Arizona,” Friedman said. “The one thing you can never question is how much he's fought for Arizona as a market. I don’t know how many commissioners would have been as patient as he’s been… I refuse to believe that he will ever give up on Arizona as a market and even if they do leave, he will work to create a situation where they could potentially bring back another team.”
This is a situation that is really hard to judge as of right now. The Coyotes have not announced any sort of update on where they are at finding a permanent arena to stay in Arizona, but there is also no direct evidence to infer that they will leave the Valley until the NHL or the Coyotes organization flat out says that.
There are multiple layers to this ongoing process, so as fans it’s best to just keep monitoring the situation and not get too carried away with everything being said.